Echinacea plant named ‘Solar Flare’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘Solar Flare’, characterized by its upright and columnar plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; large inflorescences with red-colored ray florets; strong dark purple-colored flowering stems that hold the inflorescences upright; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea tennesseensis×(Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa).

Cultivar denomination: ‘SOLAR FLARE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea tennesseensis×(Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa) and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Solar Flare’.

The new Echinacea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dahlonega, Ga. The objective of the breeding program is to create new hardy and vigorous Echinacea plants with unique and attractive ray and disc floret coloration.

The new Echinacea plant originated from a cross-pollination during the summer of 2007 of an unnamed selection of Echinacea tennesseensis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa ‘Emily Saul’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,768, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Dahlonega, Ga. during the spring of 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Alpharetta, Ga. since the spring of 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Solar Flare’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Solar Flare’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea:

-   -   1. Upright and columnar plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Large inflorescences with red-colored ray florets.     -   4. Strong dark purple-colored flowering stems that hold the         inflorescences upright.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea and the female parent selection         differ in peduncle color as plants of the female parent         selection have green-colored peduncles.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Echinacea differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Emily Saul’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are taller than plants of ‘Emily         Saul’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Emily Saul’ differ in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Emily Saul’ have dark red         purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea purpurea ‘Tomato Soup’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,427. In side-by-side comparison plants of the new Echinacea differed from plants of ‘Tomato Soup’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea were taller than plants of         ‘Tomato Soup’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Tomato Soup’ differed in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Tomato Soup’ had bright red         orange-colored ray florets.     -   3. Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Tomato Soup’ differed in         peduncle color as plants of ‘Tomato Soup’ had green-colored         peduncles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Solar Flare’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Solar Flare’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 17-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Alpharetta, Ga. and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 29° C. and night temperatures averaged 24° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea paradoxa     ‘Solar Flare’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Echinacea             tennesseensis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Echinacea purpurea×Echinacea             paradoxa ‘Emily Saul’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.             18,768. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at 22° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             weeks at 18° C. to 26° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, medium in thickness; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant foil growth habit.—Upright and columnar plant habit;             freely basal branching habit with numerous lateral branches;             terminal and axillary inflorescences potentially developing             at every node and are held upright on strong peduncles;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 33 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 38 cm.         -   Basal branches.—Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Aspect: Mostly upright to             slightly outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Longitudinally ridged; pubescent. Color: Close to 187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 11.25 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptical to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Elongate acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; lateral             veins, close to 147B; midvein, close to 147C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Centers, close to 147C; towards the             margins, close to 147A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Rotate single inflorescence form with ray and             disc florets; inflorescences terminal or axillary;             inflorescences potentially developing at every node with             about one to two open inflorescences per lateral branch at             one time; inflorescences held upright on strong peduncles.         -   Fragrance.—Moderate; sweet, pleasant.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from the spring             throughout the summer in Georgia.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on temperature,             inflorescences maintain good substance for about two to four             weeks on the plant; as a cut flower, inflorescences maintain             good substance for about two weeks; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About             1.4 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 147A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 3 cm. Receptacle height:             About 1.5 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 7 mm. Receptacle             shape: Conical. Receptacle color: Close to NN155D.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute or praemorse. Base: Attenuate; fused             into a short corolla tube. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets             per inflorescence: About 24 arranged in a single whorl.             Aspect: Initially upright to horizontal; flat. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 47A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 58A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             58B; color becoming closer to 68B with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 58A; color becoming closer             to 68B with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex five-pointed. Length:             About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: Numerous. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Apex: Close to 187A. Mid-section: Close to 144A. Base: Close             to NN155C.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Length:             About 1.3 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate to             acicular. Apex: Sharply acute. Base: Tapering. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Apex: Close to 187A. Mid-section:             Close to 144A. Base: Close to NN155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 60 in about             three to four whorls. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About             3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 6.3 cm. Length,             uppermost axillary peduncle: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Angle, terminal peduncles: Erect. Angle, axillary             peduncles: About 20° to 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color: Close to 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamens per disc floret:             One. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to             145D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.             Anther color: Close to 146C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 17A and 21A. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About             8 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted; reflexed. Stigma color: Close             to 187A. Style length: About 7 mm. Style color: Close to             150D. Ovary color: Close to 157A. Seeds/fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Echinacea. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Echinacea have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Echinacea. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −16° C. to about 37° C. 

1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘Solar Flare’ as illustrated and described. 